While Queen Elizabeth was posing with Donald and Melania Trump last night inside Buckingham Palace, a crew of palace attendants and royal florists was scurrying to put the final touches on their dinner arrangements.
In an Instagram post, the royal family pulled back the curtain for a rare peek at what goes into hosting a state banquet—and it's no easy feat. "A sneak peek of the State Banquet table in the Buckingham Palace Ballroom," the comment read. "The final finishing touches will be added shortly before The Queen welcomes the President of the United States @realdonaldtrump, the First Lady @flotus, members of the Royal Family and around 170 guests to celebrate the #USStateVisit."
The slideshow opens on a mostly-set table, complete with gilded tableware and floral arrangements. The next two photos offer a look at what it takes to assemble the ornate candlesticks, followed by the effort that goes into creating the perfect floral designs.
When it was all done, the glittering space welcomed royals, dignitaries, and of course, the Trumps to sit down for dinner. It was this view that the Queen looked out onto as she—also glittering, in an Angela Kelly gown and a cornucopia of ruby-encrusted jewels—delivered her speech.
The British monarch referenced D-Day, the anniversary of which Trump will commemorate during his state visit, to underscore the importance of international cooperation.
"As we face the new challenges of the Twenty First Century, the anniversary of D-Day reminds us of all that our countries have achieved together," she said.
"After the shared sacrifices of the Second World War, Britain and the United States worked with other allies to build an assembly of international institutions, to ensure that the horrors of conflict would never be repeated. While the world has changed, we are forever mindful of the original purpose of these structures: nations working together to safeguard a hard won peace."
Chloe is a News Writer for Townandcountrymag.com, where she covers royal news, from the latest additions to Meghan Markle’s staff to Queen Elizabeth’s monochrome fashions; she also writes about culture, often dissecting TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Killing Eve.
